My husband and I are child-free. Sometimes, I worry we’ll regret it.

I’m not exactly sure whether it’s just FOMO rearing its head or if there is something else beneath this superficial feeling of missing out on the ‘baby experience’ — something more profound that will haunt us later in life and fill us with regret.

I’m picturing my husband and me — all shriveled up and gray — sitting at an empty dinner table, just the two of us. Maybe there’s a dog or two. Maybe some cats, but no offspring. No grown-up child of ours with their own family filling the empty seats around the table.

It’s the fear of ending up alone that’s being triggered in me by this recent baby event. Maybe the fear of growing old alone motivates many to have children. But is it a good enough reason? And does being childless automatically mean that we’re going to be lonely when we’re old?

I haven’t shared these newly triggered fears with my husband (yet). However, knowing him, I suspect the picture I painted of us — old and gray, yet still together with a bunch of beloved pets — is his greatest hope, not his greatest fear.

We can’t predict the future and know how we’re going to feel about our decisions down the line, but one thing has become clear to me: It’s important to life a life that feels authentic to you. If that life includes children, then go for it. If it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to choose a different path.

For now, we’re trying to navigate this situation as best we can, while staying true to ourselves. As for our friends, I’m secretly hoping they’ll find a reliable babysitter soon so we can still have some fun adult-only times.